Ocular Migraine Symptoms

Health Hazards of Wind Turbines

Wind farms are running into opposition from private property owners throughout the world. And it is not just a problem of blighting the view. Nor are the environmental hazards restricted to the “Cuisinart” effect on migratory birds.

 The most obvious problem is the noise pollution. The upper limit of allowable sound measured 100 ft in front of a locomotive is 98 dB (A), where the “A” refers to sound audible to human beings. The Vestas 1 .8-MW wind turbine generates 95.6 dB (A) 10 m above the ground at the tower, at a wind speed of 4 m/s. At a wind speed >8 m/s, the sound level is 103.5 dB (A) (The Energy Advocate, November 2010).

 According to the British Wind Energy Association, the sound produced by a wind turbine generating electricity, outside of the nearest houses, which are at least 300 m away, is comparable to that of a flowing stream 50 m away or “leaves rustling in a gentle breeze.” Yet the noise is widely reported to be more annoying than that from airplanes, roadways, and railways. This is because the sound from wind turbines has very high levels of low-frequency inaudible to the human ear, suggests Alec Salt of the Cochlear Fluids Research Laboratory at Washington University in St. Louis. The assumption that humans are unaffected by sounds they can’t hear is incorrect, he states. The outer hair cells of the cochlea are stimulated by low frequency sounds at up. to 40 dB below the level that is heard.

 Infrasound has been used in Sweden in a nonlethal weapon for riot control. The infrasound from air-conditioning systems has been implicated as a cause of sick building syndrome (S.S.). Infrasound affects the vestibular system, causing symptoms resembling seasickness, accompanied by headache, dizziness, and “deep nervous fatigue.” It can affect ocular reflexes, causing nystagmus; spinal reflexes, causing tremors; and autonomic reflexes, causing shortness of breath. In the 1970s, army physiologists carried out studies on how long military personnel could perform their duties under conditions of high levels of infrasound, as in a tank, the engine room of a ship, or a space capsule, but results are secret, writes Claude. Regard of the Naval College & Military School of the Fleet (France).

 The wind turbine syndrome also includes sleep problems, irritability, and depression. The variable audible noise results in frequent awakenings or arousals, which may not be remembered. The disruption of sleep prevents the proper laying down and storage of memory. It is also associated with an increased incidence of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Arousals during slow wave sleep may trigger parasomnias (sleepwalking, night terrors), reports Dr. Christopher Nanning, an expert in sleep disorders.

The symptoms of optical migraines of Rehabilitation Method Center

Sometime in our lives, we experience headaches that come and go and are often so severe that our daily routines are affected. Oftentimes, when these headaches occur, we also experience some form of visual changes. Then we say, "It's probably just a migraine". An optical migraine, often called an ocular migraine, ophthalmic migraine or eye migraine, is a migraine in which temporary abnormalities in vision, including distortion and vision loss, take place. Not to be confused with a migraine with aura which affects both eyes, an optical migraine only affects one eye. An optical migraine often occurs without a migraine headache although an optical migraine can precede a migraine headache.

An optical migraine is usually not a cause for worry, but the visual distortion symptoms can make its victim very frightened. When a person is struck by an optical migraine, daily activities, such as reading, watching television and driving, are disrupted until the optical migraine passes. An ocular migraine is a type of migraine that focuses on that part of the aura in which visual symptoms predominate. There may never be an actual headache.

An ocular migraine is sometimes called a migraine without headache. It is a migraine that distorts images when you look at them. The distortion usually begins in the image's center, and then moves to one side. Ocular migraine is likely to affect only one eye at a time. As an ocular migraine progresses, images may turn grey or wavy. You may even lose your sight temporarily. Doctors differ in their understanding of ocular migraine.

Some say that ocular migraine is more likely to occur as you get older. Others say it is typically seen in young adults. It can be quite frightening, as you may think you are losing your sight forever. Physicians differ, too, in their understanding of ocular migraine symptoms. Some use the term to explain visual disturbances of aura without headache. Other use it to refer to one-sided blind spots in the field of vision, or blindness, that lasts less than an hour and is associated with a headache.

It is important to recognize the aura that comes before the headache so that medication can be taken before the actual attack. This will prevent the pain from setting in. Biofeedback has been proven to be a good type of therapy for patients who get these attacks. Having all these in mind, you would now know if you are experiencing an ordinary headache or a true-blue migraine. Now, you could also determine if those weird visual disturbances are auras previous to a migraine attack or if it is an optical migraine.

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